Holidaymakers heading to Spain for Easter warned to prepare for travel chaos due to strikes
Travelers heading to Spain for the Easter holidays may need to prepare for travel chaos when they arrive at their destination.
The popular holiday destination is expected to go on strike starting today, March 30.
Many important centers took part in the strikes, including Barcelona-El Prat Airport, Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport and Palma de Mallorca Airport.
Other points expected to be affected are Alicante, Malaga and the Canary Islands. To express reports.
Strike action involving Army employees is expected to take place at various intervals (5am to 7am, 11am to 5pm and 10pm to midnight), all during peak travel periods for airports.
More than 3,000 ground handling personnel from Groundforce are planned to participate.
The action may reportedly continue indefinitely and due to ongoing wage disputes.
Staggered timings are expected to lead to long queues, delayed baggage drop-off and boarding issues.
Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport during an attack by French air controllers in July 2025
Travelers may be concerned about their rights to a refund or compensation if their flight is affected.
Travel insurance expert Alicia Hempsted, from MoneySuperMarket, urged families to check their policy documents to see if they are eligible.
According to Alice, if a flight is canceled or delayed due to a strike, holidaymakers can earn some of the money back.
The expert explained: ‘Under EU law, you may be entitled to a refund from the airline for your flight, but you can also claim back other costs, such as accommodation, from your travel insurance.
‘If your flight is delayed, your airline has an obligation to provide you with food, drinks and accommodation based on the duration of the delay.’
However, Alice added that passengers can only seek additional compensation if they are notified of the strike less than 14 days before the flight.
He continued: ‘Strikes are generally considered ‘extraordinary circumstances’; This means airlines are generally not liable unless the disruption is caused by their own staff, such as pilots or airline employees.’
As for whether travel insurance will specifically cover the holidaymaker for any delays or cancellations caused by the action, Alice explained that it depends on when you book your holiday.
Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport during an attack by French air controllers in July 2025
He said: ‘As long as airline strikes are announced after you’ve arranged your travel and travel insurance, you can make a claim through your insurer.
‘Always check the terms and conditions of the policy before purchasing, as not all travel insurance providers offer cover against airline strikes.
‘If your policy includes travel interruption coverage, it may be possible to claim compensation for disruptions or damages resulting from the delay or cancellation of your trip.
‘This may include costs such as alternative accommodation or travel, food and drink, and may even extend to covering the full cost of your holiday if you are unable to travel.
‘However, it is worth noting that not all policies cover this as standard and levels of cover, conditions and exclusions may vary between providers, making it important to check with your insurer as your first port of call.’
He recommended travelers purchase insurance as soon as they book a trip and carefully check policy documents to ensure they are covered.
